Drawer and electronic device using the same

ABSTRACT

A drawer received in an electronic device includes a drawer assembly, two locking assemblies, and a drawer cover. The drawer assembly is for carrying a component of the electronic device, and is operable to move in and out of the electronic device via an opening of the electronic device. The two locking assemblies are fixed on the electronic device. The opening is located between the two locking assemblies. The drawer cover is rotatable connected to the two locking assemblies, and is for covering the opening to block the drawer assembly from inadvertently being detached out of the electronic device.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to electronic devices, and particularlyto an electronic device with a drawer.

2. Description of Related Art

A hard disk drive (HDD) is an important component of a computer. Forprotecting the HDD, the HDD is always installed inside a host computer.As such, if the HDD needs to be replaced or repaired, the host must bedisassembled, which is inconvenient.

Therefore, there is room for improvement in the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The components of the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, theemphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principlesof the embodiment of an electronic device with a drawer. Moreover, inthe drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding partsthroughout several views.

FIG. 1 is an isometric, schematic view of an electronic device accordingto an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a circled portion II of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a partially exploded view of the electronic device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a partially, enlarged view of the electronic device of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a partially, schematic view of the electronic device of FIG. 1in a first state.

FIG. 6 is similar to FIG. 5, but showing the electronic device in asecond state.

FIG. 7 is similar to FIG. 5, but showing the electronic device in athird state.

FIG. 8 is similar to FIG. 5, but showing the electronic device in afourth state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in detailwith reference to the drawings.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, an electronic device 100 according to anexemplary embodiment is illustrated. The electronic device 100 includesa housing 10, a drawer 20 received in the housing 10, and a component 30carried by the drawer 20. In this embodiment, the component 30 is a harddisk drive (HDD), and the electronic device 100 is a notebook computer.In other embodiments, the component 30 can be a battery, a CD/DVD drive,or other components, and the electronic device 100 can be a desktopcomputer, a DVD player, or other electronic devices.

The component 30 includes an interface portion 31. The interface portion31 is used for electrically connecting the component 30 to a circuitboard (not shown) of the electronic device 100. A plurality of limitingholes 33 is defined on opposite sides of the component 30 next to theinterface portion 31.

The housing 10 includes a top wall 11, a bottom wall 13 parallel to thetop wall 11, and a side wall 15 connecting the top wall 11 to the bottomwall 13. The top wall 11, the bottom wall 13, and the side wall 15cooperate to define a receiving room 17. The top wall 11 defines a firstopening 110. The side wall 15 defines a second opening 150 communicatingwith the first opening 110. The two openings 110 and 150 are used forreceiving the drawer 20 to move in or out of the housing 10.

The drawer 20 includes a drawer assembly 21, a guiding assembly 23, adrawer cover 25, and two locking assemblies 27.

The drawer assembly 21 is substantially U-shaped and received in thereceiving room 17. The drawer assembly 21 is used for carrying thecomponent 30. The drawer assembly 21 is operable to move in and out ofthe housing 10 via the two openings 110 and 150. The drawer assembly 21includes a first flange 211, a second flange 212 substantially parallelto the first flange 211, and a third flange 213. One end of the thirdflange 213 is connected to the first flange 211, and the other end ofthe third flange 213 is connected to the second flange 212.

The three flanges 211, 212, and 213 cooperate to define a receivingspace 214. The receiving space 214 is used for receiving the component30. A plurality of limiting poles 2110 is set on inner sides of thefirst flange 211 and the second flange 212. The limiting poles 2110correspond to the limiting holes 33 of the component 30. By the limitingpoles 2110 inserted into the corresponding limiting holes 33, the drawerassembly 21 transports the component 30. When the component 30 iscarried, the interface portion 31 is away from the third flange 213, andelectrically connects with the circuit board of the electronic device100. The third flange 213 is received in the two openings 110 and 150,and allows convenient manipulation by users for moving the drawerassembly 21 in and out of the receiving room 17.

In other embodiments, the drawer assembly 21 can be other structures aslong as the drawer assembly 21 can carry the component 30. For example,the assembly 21 can further include a bottom plate perpendicularlyconnected to the three flanges 211, 212, and 213. The receiving space214, used for receiving the component 30, is defined in the bottomplate, the three flanges 211, 212, and 213.

The guiding assembly 23 is used for supporting the drawer assembly 21and guiding the drawer assembly 21 to slide in and out of the receivingroom 17. The guiding assembly 23 includes four guiding members 230. Eachguiding member 230 includes a first fixing portion 231, a second fixingportion 233 substantially parallel to the first fixing portion 231, anda connecting portion 235 connecting the two fixing portions 231 and 233and configured to define a guiding groove 237.

The first fixing portion 231 is set on the bottom wall 13 and faces thetop wall 11. The guiding groove 237 is used for receiving one of the twoflanges 211 and 212. As the guiding assembly 23 has four guiding members230, four guiding grooves 237 are defined accordingly. Two of the fourguiding grooves 237 receive the first flange 211, and the other twogrooves 237 receive the second flange 212. Thus, the drawer assembly 21is carried by the guiding assembly 23 and slides in the four grooves 237and against the connecting portion 235. In this embodiment, the twofixing portions 231 and 233, and the connecting portion 235 arecylindrical. The cylindrical connecting portion 235 gives a low frictionforce to the sliding drawer assembly 21. In other embodiments, the twofixing portions 231 and 233 can be other shapes, such as plate-shaped.

In the embodiment, screws can be engaged with the guiding assembly 23and the bottom wall 13, thus, the guiding assembly 23 is fixed on thebottom wall 13. The guiding assembly 23 can be fixed on the bottom wall13 by means of any suitable adhesive.

In other embodiments, the number of the guiding members 230 can be morethan four, and the guiding assembly 23 can be another structure as longas the guiding assembly 23 can guide the drawer assembly 21 to slide inand out of the receiving room 17. For example, the guiding assembly 23can have two opposite grooves, one of the two grooves receives thefixing flange 211, and the other one receives the second flange 212.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, to keep the drawer assembly 21 fromdisengaging out of the receiving room 17, the drawer cover 25 covers thesecond opening 150. Two fixing members 253 perpendicularly extend fromopposite ends of the same side of the drawer cover 25. Two dowels 251extend from each fixing members 253. The longitudinal axis of the twodowels 251 are substantially parallel to the plane of the drawer cover25. The two dowels 251 are operable to act as shafts of the drawer cover25.

The two locking assemblies 27 are extending from inner side of thecasing 15 and are corresponding to the two dowels 251. The secondopening 150 is defined between the two locking assemblies 27. The twodowels 251 are rotatablely inserted in the two locking assemblies 27.Thus, the drawer cover 25 can be rotated out of the second opening 150.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 5, each locking assembly 27 is substantiallyU-shaped, and includes a first clamping member 271, a second clampingmember 273, and a connecting member 275 connecting the two clampingmembers 271 and 273. One end of the second clamping member 273 isconnected to the side wall 15. The other end of the second clampingmember 273 is connected to one end of the connecting member 275. Theother end of the connecting member 275 is connected to the firstclamping member 271, the other end of the first clamping member 271 isfree and keeps a distance from the side wall 15 to define a channel 272.The first clamping member 271, the second clamping member 273, and theconnecting member 275 define a sliding groove 270. The sliding groove270 is used for guiding the corresponding dowel 251 to slide. The twodowels 251 are operable to freely move in and out of the correspondingsliding grooves 270 via the corresponding channels 272.

When the drawer cover 25 is received in the second opening 150, the twodowels 251 are received in the corresponding channels 272 (as a firststate see FIG. 5). When the drawer cover 25 is rotated out of the firstopening 110, the two dowels 251 are moved in the corresponding slidinggrooves 270 from the corresponding channels 272 (as a second state seeFIG. 6). When the drawer cover 25 is rotated out of the second opening150, the drawer assembly 21 is operable to slide in and out of thereceiving room 17 by the guiding of the guiding assembly 23 (as a thirdstate see FIG. 7). The component 30 can be removed from the drawerassembly 21. When the drawer cover 25 is pushed into the receiving room17 along the sliding grooves 270, the drawer cover 25 is received in thereceiving room 17 (as a fourth state see FIG. 8). Thus, it is easy forusers to replace or repair the component 30. Accordingly, the drawercover 25 is operable to be pushed into the receiving room 17 by theguiding of the sliding grooves 270 when the component 30 has beenreplaced or repaired, and placed in the drawer assembly 21.

While various exemplary and preferred embodiments have been described,it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited thereto. Tothe contrary, various modifications and similar arrangements (as wouldbe apparent to those skilled in the art) are intended to also becovered. Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accordedthe broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modificationsand similar arrangements.

1. A drawer received in an electronic device, the drawer comprising: adrawer assembly for carrying a component of the electronic device, thedrawer assembly operable to move in and out of the electronic device viaan opening of the electronic device; two locking assemblies fixed on theelectronic device, the opening located between the two lockingassemblies; and a drawer cover rotatable connected to the two lockingassemblies, the drawer cover for covering the opening to block thedrawer assembly from inadvertently being detached out of the electronicdevice.
 2. The drawer of claim 1, wherein the drawer assembly comprisesa first flange, a second flange parallel to the first flange, and athird flange perpendicularly connecting opposite ends of the firstflange and the second flange, the first flange, the second flange, andthe third flange define a receiving space for carrying the component. 3.The drawer of claim 2, wherein a plurality of limiting poles is set onopposite sides of the first flange and the second flange, a plurality oflimiting holes corresponding to the limiting poles is defined onopposite sides of the component, the component is carried by thereceiving space via the plurality of limiting poles inset into thecorresponding limiting holes.
 4. The drawer of claim 2, furthercomprising a guiding assembly for supporting the drawer assembly andguiding the drawer assembly to slide in and out of the electronicdevice.
 5. The drawer of claim 4, wherein the guiding assembly comprisesa plurality of guiding members, each guiding member comprises a firstfixing portion, a second fixing portion parallel to the first fixingportion, and a connecting portion connecting the first fixing portionand the second fixing portion to define a guiding groove, the pluralityof guiding grooves is for receiving the first flange and the secondflange to guide the drawer assembly to slide.
 6. The drawer of claim 1,wherein each locking assembly defines a sliding groove, two dowels areset on opposite ends of the same side of the drawer cover and arecorrespondingly received in the two sliding grooves.
 7. The drawer ofclaim 6, wherein two fixing members perpendicularly extend from oppositeends of the same side of the drawer cover, each dowel extends from eachfixing member and is substantially parallel to the drawer cover, the twodowels are operable to act as shafts of the drawer cover.
 8. The drawerof claim 7, wherein each locking assembly comprises a first clampingmember, a second clamping member and a connecting member connecting thefirst clamping member and the second clamping member to define thesliding groove, one end of the second clamping member is connected tothe electronic device, the other end of the second clamping member isconnected to one end of the connecting member, the other end of theconnecting member is connected to one end of the first clamping member,the other end of the first clamping member is free and keeps a distancefrom the electronic device to define a channel, the two dowels areoperable to freely move in and out of the corresponding sliding groovesvia the corresponding channels.
 9. The drawer of claim 8, wherein whenthe drawer cover is perpendicularly pulled to protrude out of theopening, the two dowels are received in the corresponding slidinggrooves via the corresponding channels.
 10. The drawer of claim 8,wherein when the drawer cover is rotated out of the opening, the drawerassembly is operable to slide in and out of the electronic device. 11.The drawer of claim 8, wherein when the drawer cover is pushed into theelectronic device along the sliding grooves, the drawer cover isoperable to be received in the electronic device.
 12. An electronicdevice, comprising: a housing defining an opening; a drawer assemblyreceived in the housing, the drawer assembly operable to move in and outof the housing via the opening; a component carried by the drawerassembly; two locking assemblies fixed on the housing, the openinglocated between the two locking assemblies; and a drawer cover rotatableconnected to the two locking assemblies, the drawer cover for coveringthe opening to block the drawer assembly from inadvertently beingdetached out of the housing.
 13. The electronic device of claim 12,wherein the housing comprises a top wall, a bottom wall, and a side wallconnected the top wall and the bottom wall, a receiving room iscorporately defined by the top wall, the bottom wall, and the side wall,the receiving room is for receiving the drawer assembly, the component,two locking assemblies, and the drawer cover, the opening is defined bythe top wall and the side wall.
 14. The electronic device of claim 13,further comprising a guiding assembly for supporting the drawer assemblyand guiding the drawer assembly to slide in and out of the housing. 15.The electronic device of claim 14, wherein each locking assembly definesa sliding groove, two dowels are set on opposite ends of the same sideof the drawer cover and are correspondingly received in the two slidinggrooves.
 16. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein two fixingmembers perpendicularly extend from opposite ends of the same side ofthe drawer cover, each dowel extends from each fixing member and issubstantially parallel to the drawer cover, the two dowels are operableto act as shafts of the drawer cover.
 17. The electronic device of claim16, wherein when the drawer cover is rotated out of the opening, thedrawer assembly is operable to slide in and out of the housing under theguiding of the guiding assembly.
 18. The electronic device of claim 16,when the drawer cover is pushed into the housing along the slidinggrooves, the drawer cover is operable to be received in the electronicdevice.
 19. A drawer comprising: a drawer assembly for carrying acomponent, the drawer assembly operable to move; two locking assemblies;and a drawer cover rotatable connected to the two locking assemblies,the drawer cover operable to rotate for blocking the drawer assemblymoving.
 20. The drawer of claim 19, wherein each locking assemblydefines a sliding groove, two fixing members are set on opposite ends ofthe same side of the drawer cover, two dowels extend from the two fixingmembers and are substantially parallel to the drawer cover, the twodowels are correspondingly received in the two sliding grooves and areoperable to act as shafts of the drawer cover.